


Christian Poster Girl

by ExpertNewbs



Series: Marshfield Madness [1]
Category: Life Is Strange (Video Game)
Genre: F/F, Fluff, Romance, marshfield
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-03-25
Updated: 2017-01-13
Packaged: 2018-05-28 23:27:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 14
Words: 8,245
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6349948
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ExpertNewbs/pseuds/ExpertNewbs
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Kate Marsh was expected to be the poster girl Christian. She finds, however, that he desires lie elsewhere. Everyone else seems to desire this person as much as she does and Kate finds that she is constantly fighting for her attention. How will she ever get the person she likes to like her back when she still abstains?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Tea Date

**Author's Note:**

> I don't know I just really like the idea of this and I have no idea if it's already been made but oh well.

Kate Marsh had always followed her religion to a T. She always though that she would be the poster girl for all Christian girls, abstained until marriage, a husband and a church going, well mannered family. Just like her mother and father. 

Looking at Max she wasn't so sure about that anymore. Max excited her in a way that none of her other friends did. When the waif girl entered the room Kate's entire life was suddenly full of light. When the brunette looked or smiled at her butterflies erupted dramatically in her stomach. 

Suddenly she wasn't sure if poster girl Christian was what she wanted to be. When her dad asked her teasingly if she liked anyone when her mother wasn't around she politely said nothing. She wasn't imagining strong arms and broad shoulders, she was imagining a petite frame and fragile arms. Not cologne and thin lips but perfume and thick lips. She didn't imagine tools and trucks, she just imagine an all too familiar Polaroid camera. 

Kate tried to convince herself that her attraction to Max was just gratitude for when the "hipster" saved her from that roof. Not even this could deny the fact that the shy girl had be drawn to the adorable empty-headiness that is Maxine Caulfield even before that. That didn't change the fact that Kate wanted to count the other girl's freckles until the world ended because they were that cute. It didn't explain why the first time they had met when they shook hands she had blushed. She had it bad and that was bad. 

Kate knew she would never make it out of this crush alive when Max invited her out on a tea date. 

"Katie!" the nickname alone make her want to look away to hide the red blossoming on her face. "You came!"

Max pulled her in for a hug and Kate returned it, grateful for the contact. "Why wouldn't I have come? These tea dates aren't only important to you Max."

The brunette chuckled and tapped her chin. "I thought only I could enjoy my company... And Chloe. But Chloe is Chloe, she doesn't count."

Kate wondered idly if she would ever meet the infamous Chloe Price. It sounded like she had a thing for Max if the religious girl was being honest, normally they were attached at the hip no matter what. Maybe she was just looking too much into things?

Either way she was jealous of the punk, having Max to herself most of the time. Logically Kate supposed that she could call the photographer and she would happily come and hang out with her. That seemed a bit rude though, after all she was hanging out with someone else and she didn't want to steal her away from that person. 

"What do you want to get? I'm buying," Max said as they settled comfortably in their favorite nook of coffee/bookshop. 

"You don't have to do that," Kate began uncertainly, "you've done so much already. The least I can do to repay you is pay for my own drink."

"Nonsense! I asked you out and I will be truly chivalrous and pay for you! It's the absolute least you deserve Kate."

Kate blushed. A lot. She didn't deserve Max paying for her, not with this sin festering inside of her. Max would never like her back, she probably liked Warren, he was a nice boy after all. Wait... Did Max say she was the one who asked Kate out? She gulped. 

"Oh!" Max claimed, seemingly catching the same thing that Kate had at the same time she had. "Not that this is a date... I would never... I mean unless you wanted it to be," the photography grumbled embarrassed. 

"Um... I'll just get what you're having. If that's alright?"

"Of course it is. Whatever you want Kate."

In the end both girls ended up drinking some tea neither of them had heard of but both enjoyed thoroughly. Jasmine something. They were currently in the middle of looking through the books to try and find one they would both like to read when Max's phone went off.

"Do you mind if I..." she trailed off.

"Of course, you have other people in your life than me." 

"It's probably Warren hitting on me or Chloe being annoying." she answered her phone. "Hi... Joyce, hi! What's up... Chloe did what? Oh my dog... I'll be there in a minute." Max turned to Kate. "Chloe did some stupid sh-crap and got herself arrested. I need to go help her mom get her out. Do you wanna hang out tonight maybe? Watch a movie?"

"I would like that Maxine."

Max blushed at the use of her full name before pulling Kate into a hug. "Thanks for understanding, I'll make sure to bring Alice a carrot and you something tonight to make it up."

"Good luck Max, see you tonight."

Kate hoped it didn't take too long to get Chloe out of jail and she hoped she didn't do anything stupid tonight, Kate was really excited for a movie night.


	2. Notice

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A note

Holy crap, my phone voided my document. I'll get on trying to restore what I had of what was supposed to be this chapter. I don't know why it did that either. I was with crappy wifi so I couldn't back it up. I think my SD card errored hardcore and screwed everything up.   
Sorry for the inconvenience,  
-Nerissa


	3. Movie Night

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Max has a surprise for Max and Kate questions how friendly the girl's friendship really is.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is so different from the original, I like this one though

Science, math, English, it didn't matter what the subject, Kate tried hard on her homework. She was having trouble tonight however, mainly because her thoughts all seemed to be centered around a certain hipster-esc girl. The same girl who ditched on their tea date to bail her best friend out of jail, the same girl who paid for Kate's tea. The same girl with the most adorable freckles in the world and the softest looking lips... A knock on her door jarred her out of those thoughts. 

"Max...?" she asked uncertainly as she opened the door to the afore mentioned girl standing with both of her hands behind her back.

"Kate!" the brunette looked unnecessarily uncomfortable. "Um, I brought the stuff."

"What? You didn't have to-"  
Max cutting off Kate's sentences really seemed to be becoming common place, this time she interrupted the blonde by moving both of her hands into view. In the photographers left hand she held a bushel of carrots and in her right she held a single, white rose.

"The carrots are for Alice obviously. The rose... There was a flower shop near Two Whales and the white was so pure looking... It reminded me of you." Max was blushing but Kate was willing to bet she was blushing more. 

"Max you didn't have to, you're an amazing friend." Kate let the other girl in and took the presents from her and sat them on her desk gingerly. 

A cheeky smile found it's way onto Max's face as she opened her arms invitingly. Kate fell into them and squeezed the other girl's waist. Was this something normal friends do? Buy roses and hug like... Like this? It didn't feel all that friendly, but then again Kate had never had very many close friends. 

"So... What about that movie?"

"Weren't you supposed to bring your laptop?"

"About that... I'm going to need to run back to my room."

•_•_•_•_•_•_•_•_•_•_•_•_•_•_•_•_•_•

They ended up watching animated Disney movies. A lot of them in fact. Neither girl questioned when Kate ended up in the crook of Max's neck. No one questioned when Max's lips met Kate's hair. She knew that this wasn't normal friend behavior. Kate hoped she had a chance. 

"Kate," Max yawned, "you comfortable?" she nodded. "Good cause I'm gonna go to sleep. See you in the morning?"

"See you in the morning Max." Kate nuzzled deeper into Max. "You're a good teddy bear."

When sleep washed over Kate she felt safe in the arms of Max Caulfield. She wondered how many other people had felt the same thing.


	4. Step Dick?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kate has a nice conversation with Chloe on the phone which results in both her and Max taking a jaunt down to the Price household to have a talk about Jeffershit with a certain Step-Dick.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry that the chapters are so short, I'm not quite used to Max and Kate's characters yet. Victoria flows a lot easier for me because I have many more significant similarities to her than to the two main characters of this fic. I intend on adding some drama next chapter, and who knows, maybe I'll add the chapter tonight if I don't fall asleep watching WoW raids.

The first thing Kate noticed when she woke up was that her and Max had completely switched positions to where Kate was now the teddy bear and Max was holding her tight. The second was that the other girl's phone seemed to be going off. Careful not to wake the sleeping girl, the apparent teddy bear reached over and grabbed the phone. The name on the screen- Chloe Price. She knew she shouldn't but she answered it anyway, Kate was curious.

"Hello?"

"Um hi. Who are you and what the fuck have to done to Bat Max? I can hear her snoring... Did you," the girl paused and gasped, "lay her?"

Kate was officially afraid that her blush would wake Max. "I'm Kate Marsh. Max stayed the night in my room and..." she glanced at the figure holding onto her waist, "and she's showering right now. Can I take a message?"

Chloe's tone sounded defensive. "As if Max is awake right now. You probably just want to take advantage of her in her sleep. You know what, whatever it's not my problem. Just tell her Step Dick wants to talk to her about Jeffershit. Don't leave any marks on her Kate, she's fragile."

The line went dead and Kate didn't think she would ever stop her blush. Why would this Step... Not Nice Word want to talk to Max about Mr. Jefferson? What did Max know about the photography teacher that everyone else didn't already know? 

"Kate?" 

"Chloe called. She said that Step-"

"-Dick?"

"Yeah. He wanted to talk to you about Mr. Jefferson."

Max paled. "Shit, I really don't want to talk to him alone."

"Do... Do you want me to come with you?"

Max looked at Kate. Kate looked at Max. They looked at each other. Max blinked. Kate blinked. The awkwardness in the air was pliable. 

"Why would you...? You don't have to do that Kate."

"I know I don't, just like you didn't have to pay for my tea yesterday but you did. Just like you didn't have to buy Alice those carrots or me that rose. Let me do something for you for once Max."

"O-okay." There was definitely a lot of stuttering this morning. "Let me go get ready and then meet me out front? We can walk to Chloe's house."

Kate watched Max go before getting up, yawning, and stretching. She walked over to Alice and picked her up out of her cage. Nuzzling into the rabbit's soft fur she walked over to her desk and grabbed one of the carrots. She fed it to the fuzzy bunny before setting her into her cage. 

Kate found her clothes and went to the showers. After her shower she did her hair and went outside. The autumn air was blowing the end of October out of Arcadia Bay and pushing in the beginning of a crisp November. Changing leaves and rainy skies were soon going to be falling leaves and frosty snow. Kate loved the winter, she couldn't wait.

"Hey, ready to go?" She turned around to face Max and she gave her the biggest smile she could muster. 

"Yeah, let's go."

"Off to the insane asylum... A.K.A the Price household."


	5. Arguments

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kate and Max go to the Price household where Max and Chloe get into an argument about explaining Max's rewind power to Kate.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I want to try and get another two chapters up tonight guys. We'll see, I'm really tired.

Kate was very uncomfortable. The Price household was something that she wasn't accustomed to being in. Joyce had welcomed her graciously when she found out that she was Max's friend. The older woman was actually very kind and took genuine interest in the artist. Kate wanted to spend more time with the woman if she could.

"So you're the infamous Kate Marsh?" 

The voice came from girl standing on the stairwell by the front door. Kate looked up to see the one and only Chloe Price. Her blue hair was stuffed under a beanie. Her tattoos and punk attire was something in a almost completely unexplored realm for Kate. Chloe seemed to have a snarl set permanently on her face.

"Down girl. Kate came with me because we owe her an explanation."

Chloe motioned between herself and Max. "We owe her nothing. Maybe you owe her something Max, but I haven't met her before now. I don't owe anyone fucking anything."

Max frowned. "Chloe language. She deserves to know."

"Why Max? Why does she deserve to know? Please, enlighten me. Why does this walking bible deserve to know anything about us."

Kate didn't know why Chloe seemed to hate her so much. It didn't make much sense to her. What had the blonde done to the blunette that made her this aggressive? This was the first time Kate had even seen the other girl how could she have done something wrong? 

"It saved her life." Max's voice was like steel. "That's why she deserves to know."

"Whatever Max. Why do I need to be there for it?"

"You're a part of it."

"You're the catalyst not me. You don't need me."

"I do need you Che."

Oh wow. That just got really personal. Kate felt like she was trapped witnessing something she wasn't supposed to see. The moment felt oddly intimate. 

"I feel like I'm intruding on something. Why don't you talk to Chloe's step dad and then tell me later?" Kate's voice came out meek.

"No... Kate you deserve to know this. Go sit your religious ass down." 

"Chloe! Language!"

"Sorry Maxi-pad."

Kate sighed. She was had no choice but to sit down.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Am I getting everyone's voice right?


	6. To Believe Or Not To Believe

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Will Kate believe what Max and Chloe have to tell her?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My chapters for these sort of things are all really short. I'm sorry.

Kate wasn't sure what to make of Chloe's sudden change of heart. She couldn't tell if it was because she honestly thought that the blonde deserved to know or if she was just trying to get on Max's good side. She wasn't sure she was happy with Chloe's change of heart. The story she just heard wasn't the most cheerful thing in the world.

"Please Kate, you have to believe us,"Max said desperately.

Did Kate believe them? It was a lot to take in. Max apparently had rewind powers. Chloe had apparently died in multiple timelines. How had she survived in this one? None of it added up.

But at the same time Kate felt compelled to believe the two girls in front of her. Max was too nice to be joking with her on something like this and Chloe... Kate had a feeling that Chloe would follow Max off of the edge of the world like a lost puppy. There's no way the blue haired girl would be doing anything to Kate that Max didn't 1000% approve of first.

"I...."

Max had a very nervous expression on her face and Chloe appeared to have a puppy dog face adorned and pointed at Kate. Was she begging her to believe them? That is a little desperate if Kate did say so herself... Except she didn't because that would be rude. 

"Kate, we aren't lying I swear!" Max's voice was frantic.

"Calm down Max," she put a hand on the other girl's upper arm. "I believe you. I really do."

Max smiled at Kate before turning to Chloe. "I think you owe her something. Like an apology."

Chloe stuck her tongue out at Max. "I don't apologize to no one!" The aforementioned girl sent her a pointed look. "I'm sorry Kate," she mumbled, "I was a callous jerk."

Kate giggled. "You're forgiven Chloe. I think I would react the same way if I thought someone was going to take an amazing friend like Max away from me too."

"How-"

A throat clearing interrupted the conversation. "Max, I'm glad you could stop by."


	7. Alibi?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Max apparently needs an alibi as to why she knew about the dark room. Kate sees something that starts an inner turmoil inside her and she doesn't know why.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Was there ever a canon reason that Max had for just knowing where the dark room was in the alternate reality?

"How did you know about Mark Jefferson and the dark room?"

Kate shivered at the mention of the dark room. She thought about all of the missing memories she had, all of the innocence that had been taken from her by that man, Mark Jefferson, and the dark room. 

"I-" Max trailed off. What was she supposed to say? "I heard a rumor about an old barn and then I heard Jefferson taking about taking pictures there and it didn't sound legal. I did a little digging and found out the address. I sent it to you."

David Madsen lifted a quizzical eyebrow. "Hoe did it sound illegal?"

"He said things, things like 'I'll need more of that to keep them sedated,' under his breath when he didn't think anyone could hear him. It didn't sound right."

David sighed. "You know I can't believe that right? People are going to think that you are involved somehow."

"What the actual fuck? Why would Max be involved in anything like that?"

Kate wondered the same thing, albeit with more appropriate language, as Chloe. Why would Max every get involved with something like that?

"Maybe you were sleeping with him, that would be motive to get involved."

"With all due respect Mr. Madsen," Kate's voice came out smaller than she wanted it to, "I don't think Max is the type to do that sort of thing."

"Kate's right and I wasn't sleeping with Mr. Jefferson. Just the thought of that makes me want to barf."

"Maybe so Max but you have to understand the court won't believe that."

And so it went on like that. David kept arguing that Max needed to have a soils alibi because turning Mr. Jefferson in wasn't enough to prove her innocence in the matter apparently. Chloe did a lot of cursing and screaming while Kate carefully interjected every so often. Eventually Chloe stalked off, taking Max with her, and David got frustrated and left as well. 

Suddenly Kate was left alone in the living room of a family she had barely known for two hours. She started to think about the consequences that Max could face. The photographer could go to jail, or worse prison, because she couldn't use her time powers as am alibi as to why she knew what Jefferson was doing. It wasn't fair that the police department suspected Max as an accomplice. Probably Sean Prescott's doing seeing as his son was now behind bars for assaulting Chloe with a gun. 

Still... Didn't the police have the brain power to realize there would surely be consequences for framing Max? Most of Oregon would be in an uproar. A hero in their state being convicted for a crime that is so obviously set up. 

Kate felt for Max. The things she was going through had to be tough. The blonde wished she could empathize with her instead of sympathize. Sympathy was nice but it was always from people who had no idea what the person they were comforting was actually going through. Kate knew Max needed someone who understood what she was going through and Kate knew she just wasn't that person. Chloe looked like she had done time, maybe she could empathize. Speaking of Chloe and Max, where did they go?

"Max? Chloe?"

Kate stepped politely towards the stairwell, assuming that was most likely where Chloe's room was and thus where the girls were, and what she saw made her stomach flip and her hopes die. Chloe was kissing Max and Kate didn't know why it hurt her so much.


	8. I'm Sorry I May Have Fucked Up Your Relationship With Your Friend

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Max thinks about the kiss, during the kiss, and regrets not pushing Chloe away sooner.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Max's PoV! To be honest I'm a lot more comfortable with Max than with Kate but I promise that there will still be Kate chapters.

In Max's defense, she didn't know Chloe was going to kiss her. It just happened. They had gone upstairs so the blue haired girl didn't take her frustrations out on Kate and then the lip locking happened. Chloe had a bad habit of making rash decisions in the face of emotions. She was just frustrated... Hopefully.

Max wouldn't lie and tell Chloe that she returned her feelings if it wasn't a rash action. Well... Maybe she wouldn't. It was hard to decide. Would Max suck it up and be the "good" friend or would she tell Chloe the truth? The truth could hurt though, and the truth was that Max didn't like Chloe that way. 

The brunette liked Kate. She liked the innocence the other girl had. She like the way she was so adamant about her beliefs and she refused to be swayed. She loved when the girl made a joke and didn't know if it was funny or not so she laughed insecurely afterwards. 

She loved that Kate was honest. She loved that the church girl didn't know how beautiful she was. Max loved how forgiving Kate was. The photographer knew she could never be that forgiving. She knew that, if it were to come down to it, Kate would always do the right thing. Max liked everything about Kate. 

Chloe was a good person. Chloe was a really good person actually. Chloe just wasn't the person for Max. The punk was too immature. Max got the feeling that even though Chloe would try her hardest, she would never be very good at the emotion part of the relationship. She also knew that Chloe would never truly get over Rachel. Max suspected that she might be thinking Max was Rachel and that was why Chloe kissed her- is kissing her.

Speaking of which... Why hadn't she pushed the tattooed woman away? Was she that afraid of hurting her feelings? What was the worst that could happen? Chloe might ignore her for a few days. Or it could ruin your entire friendship dumbass, Max thought ruefully. 

Was that why she wasn't making any attempt to get away? Because she didn't want to ruin her friendship with Chloe? What if Kate saw them? Assuming Kate wasn't for homosexuality, this could put an impossible to fix rift in her friendship with the other girl. 

Max put her hands lightly on Chloe's arms and pushed her away. Hurt flashed across the older girl's face before anxiety replaced it. Both of them, out of the corner of their eyes, had seen Kate dash down the stairs and out of the house. The same anxiety that Chloe showed washed over Max.

What would happen if she fucked up her whole relationship with Kate because she saw that? And what about Chloe? What would she say? Would she ever stop asking herself questions?

"Max... Fuck. I'm sorry. I don't know what got into me."

The photographer looked at Chloe. From the look on her face it was obvious that she hadn't meant to kiss her best friend. From what she could tell, Chloe hadn't ever thought about it before. She was just as shocked and surprized as Max.

"It's okay Chloe," Max started while she went down the stairs as fast as she could with Chloe close behind. "You were upset. I get it."

By the time they had gotten outside Kate was completely gone. "Maybe you should go and find her." Chloe pulled at the collar of her shirt. "Sorry if I fucked shit up with your friend for you."

"You didn't mean to. It'll be okay."

Max hoped she could believe her own words as much as Chloe seemed to.


	9. IT

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kate is reminded of IT

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this is kind of sad. IT is what is used in the book Speak to describe the main character's rapist and I was thinking that "IT" describes how one freaks out on this caliber as well so I decided to implement it in whatever this has turned into. Please enjoy!

She was dying. Everyone was dying everyday but Kate Marsh was dying from something completely different than natural causes. 

Something in her brain had shut down the second she got to her dorm room. Her limbs seemed to stop working. Kate's stomach started to lurch as she feebly sat down on her bed. 

She didn't know why she was reacting as badly as she was and she had no time to ponder why because IT came back. She hadn't felt IT in a while. She thought IT had left her alone for good. She has been afraid of IT's return for a while now.

IT clouded Kate's brain. It felt like brain cell by brain cell was dying a painful death. Her head throbbed, sharp pains racked the inside of her skull. Shivers and tremors racked her body as she tried to lay herself down.

IT blocked out Kate's hearing. IT seemed to be closing off her breathing more and more. IT was killing her, and being engorged in dying Kate neglected to hear the door open. She had forgotten to lock it before she collapsed.

She was gathered in warm arms. IT still ate at her body and consciousness. Insecurities attack her confidence with newfound strength. She hadn't felt this bad since that video. IT was a part of that video.

IT had driven Kate onto the roof that day in October. IT was the reason she had almost died. Max Caulfield was the reason she lived. Max was the reason she wasn't splatter left on a mop. Max was her saviour.

IT didn't want her to remember that. IT strode to destroy all resemblance of hope. IT was what made Chloe kiss Max, Kate was certain, because she had hope that she could have something more with the photographer. IT was what attacked her faith. IT failed to realize you could be hopeless and faithful.

Hands rubbed Kate's back. Whispers were cooed gently into her ear. IT flared up and lips to her forehead stomped it out. IT slowly retreated into it's den.

The lips belonged to Max Caulfield. Her saviour once again.


	10. Help, Know, Treatment, Trust

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Max's thoughts on help, know, treatment, and trust in Kate and herself's relationship.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So sorry but my month has been hell. A summary- did you know that a tissue, masking tape, and a bit of disinfectant works wonders on cuts you're not supposed to have?   
> I'll try and update more frequently but if the summary doesn't tell you how bad things are for me then the next few chapters of this and my "The Way She Feels" Fallout 4 fic (based on The Way She Feels Between The Trees) should give you a big hint.  
> So in regards to this chapter. I believe it is a little longer that the other ones. I'm not good with long chapters when it comes to fan fiction and I'm sorry about that. It just doesn't come naturally.  
> Anyways, please enjoy

Neither Max nor Kate said anything about the latter's panic for weeks. They went about their normal day, attending to their normal business. Max and Kate were still Max and Kate, cute and innocent. There was just a level of tension between them now.

Kate didn't really want to talk about it. She was embarrassed to say the least. She herself didn't really have an explanation to what had happened. She was overwhelmed with pain and anxiety and she ran. Why she felt that pain and anxiety she didn't know.

Maybe she did. The kiss between Chloe and Max had left Kate feeling very hurt. She wasn't sure why but she felt undeniable pain in her chest when it happened. She had no right to be jealous... Was that what it was? Jealousy? Why was she jealous? She didn't like Max that way... Right? 

Max wanted to know why Kate had run away. Could she like her romantically? Max couldn't deny herself the fact that Kate was beautiful. And she had an awesome personality. And her morals... Max could go on for days. 

But one side of her made her think that Kate ran away because Max and Chloe are girls. She didn't think the other girl was homophobic but they hadn't really touched on the topic. That didn't explain the panic but the panic could've always been about something she saw on the way to her room.

Max just hoped Kate wasn't upset with her. She had even talked to Chloe about it and Chloe confirmed it was nothing. She was frustrated and she didn't want to punch a wall or something. Not the best excuse but if you knew Chloe you knew of the probability that was the truth.

Max was most confused at how she knew what to do to calm Kate down. This time or any other time. She had no idea where she learned how to comfort each other people. She was so awkward most of the time, she just didn't understand it. Kate especially. She thought that with their sheer differences in lifestyle it would be almost impossible to comfort her correctly.

Maybe Max was just being paranoid. Kate did seem generally more happy with Max then she was with other people. It could've been her imagination but the photographer thought that the biblical girl seemed to light up when Max hugged her too.

It made Max elated to know that someone was comfortable enough with her to actually enjoy everything she did. The "hipster" knew she wasn't the best at compliments but she tried. Apparently her trying made Kate's day because despite her protests she blushed and smiled at the comments. 

Max hoped Kate was okay with when she came to her with the occasional problem. She really hated unloading her woes on anyone, people who have been through a lot especially, but sometimes it helped to vent. Kate didn't seem to mind, in fact if anything it seemed to help their relationship. The more they helped each other the more they got to know each other. The more they knew each other the better they treated each other. The better they treated each other the more they trusted each other.

That fact had Max very confident in what she was about to do. The girls shared everything with each other. They now knew each other like the backs of their hands. They now treated each other as queens. They now helped each other daily. They now trusted each other with their deepest, darkest secrets. Max was ready to have this discussion.

"Kate, can we talk about the kiss with Chloe?"


	11. Marshmallow?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kate and Max make some bad puns, talk about faith, and talk about kissing girls.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright so I'm pretty sure this is longer than usual. If you've watched the movie "Bernie" then you should get the reference in here, even thought it's technically "closeted' and not "relationship."  
> I'm pretty proud of the humor in this chat actually. I have a special announcement at the end of the chapter, so make sure you read that note.

Kate didn't know what Max wanted to talk about. She kissed Chloe. Why would Kate care... Right? Still, she knew she couldn't just say no. Not only would that be rude but it would be odd. It would make it look like there was something weird going on with her.

And there wasn't anything weird going on with her. It wasn't like Kate constantly felt jealous of Chloe. It's not like she caught herself staring at Max in ways that most likely wasn't how a friend would. It's not like she had imagined herself in Chloe's place.... Nope, not at all.

Kate had no reason to say no to Max's request. She may not see the reason to talk but because of all of the aforementioned reasons, Kate knew she had to talk about it anyway.

"Umm, sure Max." He voice came out softer than she meant it to be, more timid. 

Max smiled and Kate definitely DID NOT feel her insides melt a little. "Thanks Kate! Can we talk in your room?"

Oh. Oh. Oh. Kate's brain short circuited for a moment. Her room? Why her room? Did Max want a witness to recount what she had said for some reason and decided that Alice would be a good candidate? Maybe she was trying to make Kate feel more comfortable with the whole situation. That must be it, Kate reasoned, even though she knew she could just ask Max.

"Sure. Right now?"

Max nodded enthusiastically before sombering up. "That is, if you want to talk right now."

"Sure," Kate said, not quite seeing a reason to wait. If anything it would get rid of the not butterflies not floating around her stomach that were definitely not caused by Maxine Caulfield.

•_•_•_•_•_•_•_•_•_•_•_•_•_•_•_•_•_•_•

"I would like to start off with a disclaimer," Max proclaimed funnily, "we will not discuss anything here that Kate Marsh is not comfortable with. Yes I'm looking at you Alice."

Kate giggled slightly at Max's antics. Now she knew that the girl was just trying to make her more comfortable with the whole situation. Some light humor right before a really deep and potentially ruining conversation never hurt either. 

"We all know what a bad bunny you've been. I see the way you look at Lisa! My plant is off limits missy, no matter what your mommy here says." Max squinted at Kate while trying not to laugh. "I know you encourage all that flirting." She poked Kate lightly on the chest. "You-" poke- "ship-" poke- "it."

While Max tried to contain her laughter Kate laughed so hard she thought she would cry. Without thinking Kate whispered, "Alisa."

It seemed like that comment finally sent Max over the edge because she started to laugh so hard she hunched over. There were now tears pricking at the sides of Kate's eyes from all her giggling. 

"Alright, alright," Max started while trying to catch her breathe, "let's talk. Where to start... Are you okay with... With-"

"With gay people," Kate burst out.

Max's eyebrows shot up to her hairline. "Yeah, with homosexual relationships," she said the 'homosexual' part with a thick Texan accent like she had seen in a movie once.

"Being gay is completely fine no matter what my faith would have me believe," Kate started, shooting Max a look at the fake accent. "I have learned, this year especially, that sometimes the Bible isn't always right. Sometimes we have to make our own judgments, not everything you read any where can be true."

Max blinked before putting a hand on Kate's shoulder. "That's some deep stuff Kate. Are you alright with the conclusion you've come to?"

Kate wasn't necessarily against this change in subject. "Honestly I don't know. I spent so long cooped up in a house that followed everything in the Bible to a 't'. To know that, now that I'm older, that the real world doesn't work that way all the time kind of hurts."

Max moved her hand to Kate's as she continued. "I've learned the hard way that my way of life isn't for everyone. I've learned that my way of life isn't for me sometimes. There is so much difference here than in my home."

Kate took a deep breath before finishing. "I've done things my parents and family aren't proud of, things I'm not proud of. I've had thoughts me parents would tsk me for. But that's life and I have to get used to it because no one told me about the real world when I was living out my fantasy world as a kid."

Max smiled sadly at Kate. That was a hard realization that everyone has to come to. Max, that whatever deity there was, had been raised in a pretty down-to-Earth family. She hadn't been raised with ideals hard to achieve. In that aspect she felt bad for people like Kate and Victoria who were raised with ideals and expectations ridiculous to push on any adult, let alone teenager.

She laced her fingers around Kate's. "Are you okay with this?" The girl nodded even though her fingers twitched a little. "Kate you are an amazing person. I'm sorry you had to come to that on your own. Next time tell me will you, I want to help you."

Max looked Kate full on, making eye contact. "Kate... Did I hurt you with what happened with Chloe? I really don't want to be the reason you hurt so if you could tell me what happened exactly then I want to try and fix it."

Kate wanted to look away, oh how she wanted to look away, but she couldn't. Max's gaze was intoxicating. She never wanted it leave her and the photographer's hand in hers felt so right. She found herself looking for ever increasing amounts of time at Max's lips.

"I don't know what happened." Lies Kate, you know what happened. "I think- I think I was afraid she would hurt you and I've been so stressed everything came crashing down." 

All lies Katie, you know exactly why you ran. She ran because she liked Max, as more than a friend, and she couldn't bear the thought of her liking Chloe. She thought it was obvious but apparently she was wrong because Max let out a sigh of relief before speaking.

"Don't worry Marshmallow, Chloe and I only friends... And besides, I like someone else."   
She squeezed Kate's hand and the artist felt something die in her. Max liked someone else. "Marshmallow," she asked weakly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> !ATTENTION CREATORS!  
>  I am faced with a lot of free time as the summer draws to a beginning officially tomorrow so if you would like someone to edit your writing contact me. Don't let my typos fool you, I have to write these when I am supposed to be asleep so I don't have time to edit when I am working as fast as humanly possible. Anyway, I would be happy to edit anything for pretty much anyone.


	12. Mom Problems

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kate and Victoria have a little bonding over problems Kate has been having with her mother.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a little all over the place but I wanted to get something up so please try and enjoy and I'm sorry I took so long to update.

For the next couple of weeks Kate tried to ignore the throbbing in her chest every time she looked at Max. She also tried to ignore the blatant jealousy she felt around Victoria. The girl had gotten better and in turn gotten closer to Max. Victoria seemed to make googly eyes at either Max or her photography, it was hard to tell which sometimes.

Could Victoria be the person that Max had her crush on? They certainly took to each other fast. Kate chided herself for wondering about Max's love life when she had more oppressing things to think about. Like her mother cracking the whip down on her. Like her mother getting the wild idea that she was gay.

And she wasn't right? Kate didn't even know how her mother got the idea. She hadn't told her how close Max was to her (not that she would've told her mom if she were gay, not right away anyway.) 

Could a student at Blackwell decided to play some sick prank on her? But how would they have gotten her mother's number? Too many thoughts were running through Kate's head as she powered down her phone to put an end to her mother's assault of her little bit of hardware.

"What's up Katie?"

Kate wasn't expecting to hear the name Katie come out of Victoria's mouth. She wasn't expecting Victoria to talk to her at all if she was being honest. Victoria seemed to be Max's friend and not hers.

"Nothing much," she hesitated slightly, "trying to avoid my mom."

Victoria wrinkled her nose slightly. "I know the feeling. What is she bugging you about?"

Again Kate hesitated but for a different reason- she didn't know Victoria's beliefs at all. She didn't know what angle she was playing. She didn't know if Victoria would suddenly turn on her and start to bully her again. Against all of those red light though, Kate still thought she could trust Victoria.

"She thinks I'm gay and I have no idea how she got the idea. As far as I know I'm not and I wouldn't mention it to her right away if I were." Kate's face dropped slightly. "It's sad that she won't trust my word for it either."

Victoria frowned and placed her hand on Kate's arm hesitantly. "I'm a bitch, and I know you're going to argue so don't, but not even I'm a big enough bitch to make fun of you for that." 

She sighed. "That sucks Kate, it really does. I don't know what to say but know this, we are all really sorry for what we did and I don't think anyone here would be stupid enough to do that but I can ask around."

You have some awesome people by your side though. Max, hell even Warren as creepy and desperate as the geek is, they are all really good people. You've got a good entourage Kate."

Kate smiles at Victoria. "I think you're becoming a part of the entourage."

Victoria fake shivered and returned Kate's smile. "I can already feel the geek seeping into me. Au revior Kate, I need to go work on a project."

As Victoria left from their odd conversation Kate started to think maybe the whole situations wouldn't be too bad. She did, after all, seemed to have a lot of good people by her side and Victoria seemed to becoming one of them. That thought alone was comforting enough to turn her phone back on.


	13. Not Enough

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Max contemplates whether she did enough for Kate or not.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm going to try and update every Wednesday so updates will depend on how much I get done.

Was Max being obvious? Was her saying she liked someone other than Chloe and then calling Kate that nickname being way too loud about her crush on the girl? It didn't seem like it but the photographer wasn't the most transverse in the unrelenting subject that was love. 

For what it was worth, Victoria and Kate seemed to be getting along swimmingly. They had apparently bonded over something. Neither girl called it bonding though, Kate referred to it as seeing the real Victoria and Victoria referred to it as not being a complete bitch. Max didn't care what it was called as long as it made them get along. 

That was the thing, Kate and Victoria seemed to be too comfortable with each other. From the way Kate had said "I've been doing things my family wouldn't be proud of" made it sound as if there was something she wasn't telling anyone. Max found it logical that she may be bi or even gay but doesn't want her family to know.

She also found it completely logical that she came to that conclusion because of Victoria. She must have a crush on Victoria. That grinded Max's gears a little bit. She knew that deep down the Chase was a good person but she had undoubtedly been better to Kate.

The world worked in mysterious ways to the chagrin of Max. Perhaps it was meant to be that she was just a friend. Perhaps it was meant to be that Kate liked Victoria. She could deal with it. After all, all that mattered really was that Kate was okay, that Kate wasn't hurting. 

She decided that if Kate did like Victoria then she would support both of them, regardless of how much it hurt. Max did have Chloe and she could definitely ease some of that pain. She was a good friend even if her intentions may not be the most pure some of the time. 

She probably didn't deserve Chloe either. She had abandoned her after all. Perhaps Chloe understood that her parents made her move but Max would forever feel like she had failed her best friend when she needed her most. She would always feel like it was her fault. 

By the same logic she felt like she had also failed Kate when she most needed her. If Max would've been a better friend then maybe Kate wouldn't have even made it up to that roof in the first place. 

Max was notorious for being forgetful and ignorant and she feared that she missed something that could've alerted her to how bad Kate had gotten. She was so aware of the fact that she should've been more aware of what was going on and maybe she would've actually helped Kate instead of being there only in the aftermath.

She had swooped in as a sort of hero. She had brought more publicity to the case then there should've ever been. It couldn't be helping Kate. People were still talking about Max the hero, Max the girl who saved a fellow classmate from committing suicide. It conveniently distracted from the fact that a girl almost ended her own life because a bunch of snobby rich kids couldn't mind their own business and decided that harassing her would be fun. 

In her opinion she was just as responsible for what happened to Kate as anyone else. No, she hadn't watched the video, she erased URLs written around the school, reported posts that shared the video, done what she could do to prevent people from seeing it. She could've done more to help her friend though and that was what she regretted most out of everything. She hadn't done enough.

Kate would undoubtedly say that she was being hard on herself, that after a certain point there was nothing more you could do. Max would argue that she hadn't reached that point by a long shot. She imagined that Kate would say something cute like "just being around you makes things better," or something like that.

It was the type of thing that Kate said frequently without realizing how flustered and full of false hope it got Max. It made her insides turn to jelly and allowed butterflies to make their home in her stomach. It made her blush like a school girl and want to giggle embarrassedly. It made her think that maybe, just maybe Kate actually liked her as more than a friend. 

The entire train of thought was ridiculous but Max always seemed to encourage it when by grabbing the girl's hand and lacing their fingers or by hugging her just a little too long. She would build up her own hopes only to realized that they were futile. 

Kate would never love her like that. Although the idea of her being bi or gay didn't seem that far fetched, Max doubted that she would ever act on any of those feelings. There were way too many expectations and prying, judgmental eyes in her family. There were just too many people who would call her a disappointment. 

Max found that incredibly sad. She hated that some people's parents would ever disown their kids for being themselves. It was sickening in the worse cases. Kids would get beat half to death and left on the streets for dead if they came out as gay to their family. Some kids, the lucky ones such as herself, they got encouragement. Everyone should get that, everyone no matter who they were should get love and only love from their family when coming out as gay. 

Max sighed and buried her face in her pillow. Worrying about the LGBT community, Kate, and her own feelings Max fell into a deep sleep.

•_•_•_•_•_•_•_•_•_•_•_•_•_•_•_•_•_•_•

Max woke up a little bit before dinner time. She had the intention of inviting Kate to the Two Whales. Maybe it was her guilt talking but she wanted to treat her friend to something nice after everything that had happened as of late.

With a yawn Max pulled herself up out of bed and moved to stand in front of her mirror. Her hair was tousled with sleep and her eyes heavy with the tell-tale signs of restlessness. She messily adjusted her hair but did little else to her appearance and she sluggishly made it to the door.

Much like Kate needed her medication to regulate her mood until she had made a recovery, Max was convinced she needed some sort of pill to make her want to sleep at night and not during class. She needed a regulator, something to control her impending insomnia. 

She moved down the hallway to Kate's room in a stupor. She knocked on the other girl's door only to hear a "come in" from the other side. 

She pushed open the door and saw something that made her heart wrench with sadness. Kate's eyes were bloodshot and she was downing a pill. A "little happy pill" was what Chloe would call them with explicits removed.

Kate obviously hated her medication like many of the other people who were put on them. Max had at one point, shortly after she left Arcadia Bay, needed to be on them. She had hated them enough to fake taking them or to take two or three doses at a time.

She was stupid about it when she was younger but with a quick glance at the container showed that Kate seemed to be doing as she was told. It took a little weight off of Max's chest to know she wasn't trying to rebel against by method of almost overdosing every other day.

It still saddened Max to know that Kate cried before she had to take her medicine. It was normally the time that Max would leave because she knew just how much you wanted to be alone to take the dive of swallowing that pill. It was embarrassing and in many ways degrading to know and have other people know you had to take medicine to control your mental state. Max understood what it was like to want to have privacy in the moment. 

Max wanted to see Kate happy though and she knew that the fastest way to make happy was to offer to beg Joyce for pancakes at the Two Whales during dinner. So Max offered and she thought she would never forget the goofy grin that fell on Kate's beautiful face when she said yes to their "dinner date."


	14. Breakfast... or is it Dinner?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Max and Kate have breakfast food for dinner at The Two Whales.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is short but I wanted to get something out. Sorry if it sucks.

"Oh c'mon Joyce, it's not that late. Can't you pretty please make us some breakfast food?"   
   
Joyce chuckled. "Max, honey, it's getting close to ten o'clock. You girls have curfew soon it's so late."   
   
Max snuck at glance at Kate, about to give up on the food when she saw a childish, silly, lopsided and beautiful grin that had ever been witnessed by any of humanity. She bit her lip slightly and turned back to Joyce.   
   
"How could you say no to that face?" She asked, motioning to Kate.   
   
Upon realizing that she had been caught in the act, the aforementioned girl turned bright red before covering the grin that wouldn't seem to dissapear with her hand. Joyce smiled, apparently catching onto just how much Kate was enjoying herself, even without food.    
   
"Well, Max, I think that maybe we can work something out for that friend of yours."   
   
Max smiled and thanked Joyce before turning her attention to Kate. The blonde was still blushing but she had moved her hand away from her mouth. She was still smiling, albeit now a controlled one, but she was still being slightly shy about meeting Max's gaze.    
   
"Well, you being cute got us breakfast food... so thanks."   
   
Kate's blush became brighter than it was before. She tried to move out of Max's line of sight very unsuccessfully. Max smiled at her, making sure that her dining mate knew that she was smiling at her. Kate smiled back slightly before trying to settle comfortably back into her seat again. They sat in peace, making small talk to each other about the smallest of things until Joyce brought their food back.   
   
"Here ya go girls," she sat the plates down on their table. "It's on the house this time Max." She winked at the girls and walked away, presumably back to the kitchen.   
   
"Dig in Kate," Max smiled at her and Kate smiled back. Max decided that she hadn't seen Kate smile this much in a long time. She decided she liked it.


End file.
